The Getaway
by Marlaina Salvatore
Summary: What if Stefan went to see Elena at home after he got the cure for Damon but he looses control and nearly kills Elena in the process of saying goodbye. He's on a bender with Klaus & its only a matter of time before Klaus finds out Elena didn't die in the ritual & why he can't make hybrids. Damon acts fast to protect Elena but how long will they be able to hide?
1. Chapter 1

1

So this was it. His final goodbye, how could he manage the words? how could he say goodbye to her, the only girl he ever loved?

He had followed her home after she had healed Damon, she had kissed him and it hurt to watch but he knew her intentions were pure. She did love his older brother, that Stefan knew, but he couldn't admit that she might be better off without him, that she might be better off with his brother right now. Especially after what had just happened with Klaus in Alaric's loft. I don't feel like myself right now and Klaus had managed to pull a part of me out that I had been hiding from for the past 80 years. The ripper part of me was clawing its way back to the surface and I don't think I'm strong enough to hold it back any longer. But I have to say goodbye to her.

I climbed the tree up to her bedroom, a tree I had climbed countless times before and tapped on the glass. Elena was in her washroom brushing her hair, she was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. She walked quickly to the window, she knew from Katherine's earlier delivery of Klaus' blood that Stefan should be gone, possibly forever.  
Elena opened the window and ushered Stefan in.

They fell into each others embrace instantly. No words were needed to explain how they were both feeling. This was the last time she would ever see him, somehow she knew this. She wanted to hold him and never let him go. How was she supposed to let him go?

Stefan was struggling to keep it down. To prevent Elena from ever seeing the worst part of him, the part he hid from himself, but as he sat on Elena's floor clung to her, all he could think about was the sound of the blood pumping through her veins. She smelled divine, coppery, flowery and sweet, the best smell he had ever inhaled. He didn't even notice that while he was thinking of her blood he was in fact digging his canines into her neck. Elena was becoming weaker in his embrace and as her heart slowed Stefan came out of his reverie. Elena was in his arms, eyes shut, heart barely palpitating neck and tank top covered in her own blood. Stefan tried to contain himself but he could feel his ripper side fighting harder then it ever had before to have more of this unbelievable girl. For her to sustain him, make him live, and live he planned to.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Damon woke up in bed alone. Alone? How could this be? Elena had promised him she would be back by the time he woke up, promised that she would take care of him, surely that meant she should be here with him. He knew she had gone home to clean up but she should have been back by now. She should have been back here a while ago it had been at least two hours since she left him. He was sure that since he was possibly dying Elena would have rushed to be by his side, especially now that Stefan was gone, so where was she? He still felt weak, better but weak, but he needed to know that she was safe. That that damn Katherine didn't come and harm her while he was asleep. He stood slowly from his bed to ensure that the room wasn't rotating around him like it was earlier. He would have gone looking for her either way, but being steady on his feet sure did help matters out. As he made his way down the hallway he figured he would check Stefan's room first, he doubted he would find her there, it was too soon for her to be wallowing away in his room. Sure enough as he walked up the stairs and focused his hearing into the room and realized he couldn't hear her anywhere. He sent a surge of power around the rest of the house searching for her, anything from a heartbeat to an exhale of breath, but nothing came.

Soon Damon was dressed, as usual in his black leather coat, black jeans, and Armani black shoes and heading out the door into his Ferrari. Normally it would have been faster for him just to speed run or fly to her house but given the fact that he was healing from a werewolf bite he figured it would be best to save his energy to finding her and making sure she was okay.

Within three minutes he was pulling into the Gilbert driveway. Strange all the lights were off inside, except the one coming from Elena's second floor window an open window no less. It was the middle of November, there was an original vampire on the loose not to mention his brother was with says vampire. What was she thinking, first in leaving him alone, now coming home, being home alone, and leaving a window open, she might as well ask danger to come a knocking, or in her case entering.

Damon finally reached her window, in reality it had taken him less then a second to assess the situation, climb the tree and enter her room and shut the window. The scene was all to familiar to Damon, it reminded him of a very distant past, a past he thought he wouldn't have to deal with again thanks to Lexi. Elena's white carpet was covered in blood, there was a tank top in her hamper covered in blood, but there was no Elena. Damon screamed her name before hearing the water and speed ran into her bathroom looking for her. She was lying on the floor of her bathtub, water falling onto her back and her head between her knees, arms wrapped around herself trying to keep warm in the boiling water. She looked up as he entered the room tears falling from her eyes uncontrollably. He went to her, to console her, to help her but she moved away in fear.

"stay away from me!" she yelled as loud as she could manage. Tears were streaming down her face. That's when he noticed her neck, bruised black and blue, swollen and somehow still bleeding. How had his brother left her like this? How could he be so stupid as to hurt her?

"Elena, princess, it's me Damon." He said quietly in fear he might break her. He walked to her anyways. Turned the water off, picked her up into his arms, she was dripping water everywhere but he didn't care, he just wanted to hold her and make her feel like her world could be whole again, even if it were just for a minute or two. As he walked them back into her bedroom he grabbed her robe and wrapped her shivering body into it before re-establishing her into his arms. He sat her onto her bed and began to heal her wound with his vampire venom feeling stronger at the tiniest taste of her. When she was healed and he knew she would be safe he finished packing her weekend bag.

While he packed she told him what had happened with Stefan. "Damon, it was Stefan, he came here while I was getting cleaned up, I had just gathered my stuff to come back to your house when he knocked on my window. I let him in" she said in a sob. "He hugged me tightly- it felt so good to be in his arms, and then I was in pain, I couldn't stop it, couldn't push him away, I was completely powerless to him, and he didn't even care what he was doing. When he finally stopped he looked at me, he said I had to forget him and then he tried to get to me again, but I stabbed him Damon, I stabbed him in the chest, just like you taught me, the way to a vampires' heart. I don't have a clue what I got him with but it wasn't wooden. He didn't die, he just got up screamed and leapt out my window leaving me there to die, or bleed out of whatever. He didn't care Damon. How could he not care?" She was in full on bawling at this point.

Damon didn't respond he just turned picked her up and held her tightly to his chest, so tight he feared he might break her. She sobbed on him for how long he lost track, he was just happy that she had found comfort in his arms.

Their drive back to the boarding house was short and by the time Elena got there she was passed out. How had they gotten here, how was he once again taking care of her? This was supposed to be her time to take care of him. He had just gotten the antidote to a werewolf bite after all. Never the less he parked the car in the driveway and carried her up the walkway and into his home. He didn't waste time trying to find her somewhere to sleep, and he wanted company, he needed to know she was safe. He carried her directly to his room and placed her gently on the king size four poster bed.

She stirred as he placed her on the mattress and as he laid down opposite her intending to read and watch her sleep she turned around to face him and the next thing he knew she was in his arms. As time progressed Elena began to relax into Damon, just as he too opened himself to her, she was the only one who ever broke through his barriers. Elena moaned in her sleep as Damon broke into her dreams and Elena's soul traveled through him. Elena's out of body experiences into Damon allowed her to see further into who he was, something his strong outer façade had prevented all others from seeing. She was the only human in his entire… existence he had ever felt like letting in.

Elena felt the usual rush she did through space, the floating feeling and the strong pull that made her feel like a yo-yo being pulled back up into a body. Only this wasn't her body, she felt somehow welcomed here. Standing in a dark deep black hole she questioned who would have brought her to this place of all the places she could have gone. That's when she noticed the boulder, smaller then she had previously seen it but still towering above her. She ran around the boulder trying to find the familiar face she was so used to seeing down here.

"Damon, where are you?"

" 'Lena, is that you?" Damon came out of a dark corner in the room to see Elena standing searching for him. He ran to her and catapulted himself into her arms. She caught him easily and she steadied herself. This Damon was so young, light and cheerful, she wished the Damon she knew today could be as full of light as this young child. Elena held him close and they sat onto the floor.

As she held him she told him stories of beautiful places she has seen, or things she just thought up that she thought would make him smile. They sat together for hours telling stories and playing games. Then before Elena knew it she was being flung back out of Damon and floating around his room. She turned all around and saw herself cuddled into his arms, lying on his chest, drooling. Then she was once again catapulted back into herself and back into consciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Elena stirred and woke on Damon's chest, her head was pounding and she felt nauseous. She lifted her head and looked around his room. Quietly so not to wake Damon she slipped out of his bed and wandered towards the bathroom stopping along the way at his bookshelf Lord of the Rings, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Raven, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Sherlock Holmes, all first editions. Elena picked up her favorite book, Camelot, and walked into the bathroom locking the door behind her. She started the water in Damon's oversized egg shaped tub, found some vanilla scented bath soap and sunk herself into the deep hot water allowing it to take away all the pain she was feeling and began to read.

A while later she stepped out of the bath, got dressed and felt slightly better than she felt when she woke. The herbs in the bath salts must have helped her relax. Even the bruising around her bite was beginning to fade. She applied some cover up to her neck, brushed her teeth and stepped out of the bathroom into Damon's bedroom once again. He was gone when she entered the room, which confused her. She just grabbed her purse and jacket then headed downstairs.

When she reached the bottom of the steps Damon was standing there smirking at her as usual.  
"Morning 'Lena, I assume you slept well in my bed, what with the drool I had all over my chest when I woke up."  
"Good morning to you too Damon, and thanks for taking care of me last night," she tried to force a smile but even to her it felt so forced. She felt like she would never, could never, be happy again.

Damon could tell she still wanted to break down but was holding on trying to look strong for him. "I made breakfast."

Elena looked at him puzzled. He didn't eat, well not real food anyways she wasn't even sure he knew where the kitchen was. She sent him an intrigued look and stepped down the final step, still eying him strangely as she following him through the house into the kitchen.

It was the strangest thing she had ever seen. He hadn't just cooked breakfast, he had cooked her a banquet. Sitting on the table was every breakfast food she could imagine. Crepes, pancakes, waffles, eggs, omelets, bacon, sausage, toast, croissant, jams of every variety, danishes, fruit, yogurt. She turned to face him completely awed by him. Her heart melted at the way he tried so hard to make sure she was happy.  
" I have one more surprise for you" he said. And as though on cue the doorbell rang. He shook his head at her indicating he would answer the door. After all everyone here was supposed to believe she was dead. And he rushed to the door.

A moment later he re-arrived in the kitchen followed by Bonnie, Matt, Caroline, Tyler, Jeremy, Alaric and Meredith. They all eyed her wearily as they entered the room. Confused by seeing her here with Damon, alone, possibly cooking, not even one whole day since Stefan had left.

Damon ushered them toward the dining table as they all took a seat around the table truly amazed at the meal he had cooked. "Dig in he, while it's hot," he smiled at them and took the seat at the head of the table. "While you all eat I have something I need to say," he eyed the group enthusiastically wondering if he could continue as he watched them all ask Elena with their eyes what was going on. She simply shrugged. "I have a proposition for all of you. Seeing as how our dear Elena here was attacked last night by her o-so-loving boyfriend and Klaus believes she is dead," he paused to assess their response, "I feel it would be best for her to leave town for a while."

An uproar immediately occurred. From Bonnie's "OMG" to Alaric's " I DON'T THINK SO DAMON" look, and Jeremy and Mutts comments about killing him.

Finally Tyler spoke up, "I think that's a good idea Damon."

Caroline eyed him oddly and nodded her head, "he is right you guys, as much as we don't want you to leave," she looked at Elena, "Klaus will be coming back with his hybrid army and you can't be here when they get back, otherwise were all dead Elena."

Elena looked around the room at the people she loved most in the world, her friends and brother. How was she supposed to leave all these people without looking back? How could she leave them to face Klaus and his hybrids alone? The answer was simple, she couldn't and she wouldn't. "No Damon, I'm not going anywhere. I need to be here when Stefan comes home, I need to know he will be okay; he needs to know I'm okay."

"Elena," Damon pleated, "I need to know your safe, I can keep you that way, and besides its gives me the opportunity to go on a nice vacation with you. We don't have to hide from Stefan, that's why I called all your friends here for this conversation, I want Bonnie to do her magic and summon me when Klaus and Stefan get back to town. This wont be forever Elena, not unless you want it to be."

Elena sighed. She knew Damon was simply looking out for her, and as he spoke she realized even her friends believed going with him was her best option for survival, even if it meant that none of them would ever have a chance to see her again.


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

Several hours later when they had gone through the alphabet with different plans on not only keeping Elena out of harms way but defeating Klaus in the process the group of friends sat in content silence for a moment before Matt stood, approached Elena and hugged her close whispering low so only she could hear, "call me if this guy, gets to be too overwhelming, I will come to your rescue." With that and a wink he stepped back and said his goodbyes.

That signaled to everyone else that it was time to get a move on. Elena hugged all her friends and gave forced reassuring smiles to them all, promising to call Caroline and Bonnie at least once a week. Following them to the door Elena waved one last goodbye to her friends as they exited the main door of the Salvatore mansion.

Even though they had spent a good few hours discussing the return of Klaus and Stefan, and how they all planned to ultimately defeat Klaus. Somehow she still felt that none of this mattered, Klaus would find out she didn't die in the ritual as planned, and would kill all the people she loved to get what he wanted, her blood. In order for her to have any chance against him, she was going to have to try the hardest she ever had to gain powers.

When the door shut and Damon heard the final car pulling out of the long driveway he turned to Elena walking slowly, stalking toward her at an amazingly slow pace. He watched her as a predator would watch its prey, "I am going to go upstairs and pack some things we may need, while I'm gone you should go into the kitchen and find whatever food we have that can last in the car for a few days, were heading out as soon as I'm packed. 5 minutes should suffice." And with that he disappeared up the stairs to his room.

Elena moved quickly. As she entered the kitchen she grabbed some of the leftovers from Damon's breakfast feast, and some snacks she knew were kept here for her. A box of her favorite Joe Louis' and knowing Damon, grabbed a box of Twinkies too.

There were several other snack foods that she just grabbed without looking to see what they were, throwing them into a bag. Finally she reached the fridge and grabbed all the bottles of water. She was about to close the fridge when she noticed a blood bag sitting in the door. Thinking quickly she searched around the lower cabinets for the small cooler. Finding it under the sink she went back opened the freezer and grabbed some frozen corn and peas, and ice cubes to keep the blood cold then ran to the basement to grab several blood bags for Damon.

When she returned upstairs he was standing near the island looking into the bags she packed. "not much nutritious food in here sweetheart, who would have thought you could get such a nice figure out of eating chips, two bite brownies and cookies." Elena rolled her eyes and looked at him seriously, was he seriously suggesting this was all she would eat for the next few days? As if he read her mind, "Oh well, I suppose we can stop on the way for your main meals." He smiled when he came across the box of Twinkies, his favorite, then he noticed Elena with the cooler. "What do you have in there?" it was a question and he was quite sure he knew the answer.

" Blood Damon, you know what you need to get that perfect -." Had she seriously been ready to say that, his perfect … ass, eyes, body, … everything, was she insane. She couldn't say that to Damon, he would surely use it against her. Quickly she thought of a word to substitute what she had thought of first "smile of yours. We wouldn't want you feasting on anyone while trying to stay hidden."

Damon shot her a view of that so-called perfect smile, "careful 'Lena that actually started to sound like a compliment." He sped to her side and had her in his arms in less than a heartbeat. Whispering into her ear, "my perfect smile is all thanks to my teeth." He spoke as he gently caressed down her neck with the blunt end of his canines.

Elena recoiled and slapped him on the arm. Shaking her head at him with a slight smile on her face, she always found it so empowering when she slapped him, only him. She walked around him grabbed the bags of food she had grabbed and left him standing in the kitchen. By the time she had reached the front door he was standing there with the door open for her and both their bags in his arm, smirking at her as she walked past him and down the pathway to his Ferrari.

"Oh no, as much as I would love to drive that around, it would stand out a bit too much for my liking. I rented us a car."

Elena looked at him puzzled as he continued, "it's in the garage."

She rolled her eyes and switched directions to head towards the garage as Damon opened the double doors. She looked at him quizzically when she saw what car he had picked, "Really Damon, an Escalade. I never pictured you as the SUV type." He unlocked the car and unceremoniously through the bags in the trunk.

" I picked this because you are going to want to sleep, and since we can't risk stopping for at least a few days I figured this had the most back seat space for you to stretch out in, watch a movie, recline, and cuddle without me having to go too 'super mom' and by a 'stow and go' van."

She smiled at him thankfully then turned placed the groceries into the trunk beside her bag and the cooler on top then got into the passenger seat. They drove in silence for the first few miles while Elena pondered on where he was taking her. Finally curiosity won out and she asked him where they were going.

He shrugged and told her he was just driving, trying to ensure that IF anyone were following them it would be difficult to stay on their trail. When after several hours of very twisting and turning roads and u turns, Elena got board and climbed into the rear seats to have a nap.

She woke late into the night from a nightmare sitting bolt upright in the rear seat of the car. She was cold from the sweat that saturated her shirt. She felt the car come to a stop on the side of the road and Damon turned around to look at her. "I'm fine Damon, just a bad dream" she said as she scanned the trunk for her bag, pulling out a new t-shirt she stripped her top off and put on the new dry one, then climbed back over into the front seat.

Damon was still watching her, when she was seated and belted back up he started the car again and pulled back onto the road. He waited several miles for her to get comfortable and reflect on her dream before he asked her what it was about.

She sat silently for several more moments before answering him, "it was about last night. The way Stefan attacked me." What she didn't tell him was how the dream had finished. She couldn't bring herself to say the words aloud.

The dream had ended with Damon finding her on her floor, picking her up into his arms and laying her onto the bed between his legs holding her close and she held to him with all that she was. She was terrified to let go, while Damon tried his best to stop the bleeding. She abruptly stopped him, gazed up into his eyes and asked him to bite her. No not only to bite her, she realized, she asked him to bite her over where Stefan had, and asked him to take the bad memory away with a pleasurable one she knew he would give her. That was the part of the dream she couldn't tell him, she was far to scared about how he would take her offering him her blood, dream or otherwise.


	5. Chapter 5

chapter 5

They drove aimlessly for hours and finally crossed the Virginia border around 5am. Elena sat looking out the window watching the scenery the whole time not saying a word to Damon and seemingly lost in her own thoughts. They stayed like this for several more hours until they reached a small town outside Martins burg, Maryland; Damon finally couldn't stand the silence any longer and pulled over into a diner. Elena eyed him questioningly as he turned the ignition off and hopped out of the SUV. "come on I need to stretch and you need to eat."

Stepping out of the car Elena was immediately met by Damon's encircling arms. Surprised by the contact she jumped slightly but she allowed him to guide her into the simple looking diner, by the looks of things it either wasn't very popular or the people of this town like to sleep in on Friday mornings. She sighed; right now any normal teenager would be waking up and getting ready for high school, that's what her friends would be doing, she had been alone with Damon for less than 24 hours and already she was wishing that she had all of the people she loved around her. She knew they had planned for all the possibilities, they were having her funeral today, closed casket of course, most of the town would show up, they would bury her and eventually… hopefully soon, there would be a plot there saying something like:

Elena Rose Gilbert

1990-2007

Beloved Sister and Friend

Will be greatly missed.

that would at least cover there first protection against Klaus. Of course as soon as they dig up the grave and realize the girl in the casket isn't Elena, well then she was screwed. She knew putting a great distance between herself and anyone Klaus knows is the best possibility for survival; And she has Damon.

then this weekend Jenna and Jeremy would spend time packing up her stuff and putting it into the attic. It would be like she really died, so as they sat in the diner eating breakfast reading the local paper and working on the crossword Elena felt like she really was dead to everyone she cares about. They will all think she is dead. She can never go back home again, ever. She nearly broke down until she noticed cheap flights going all over the world she finally asked Damon where he plans this adventure to go.

He actually told her he couldn't tell her. WHAT! why? She had asked if they would ever head to Europe, because she always wanted to visit Paris and Italy but Damon refused to budge on keeping her in the dark. He would just smirk at her suggestions and laugh occasionally when she begged him not to take her to the Arctic or Alaska because she refused to live in such a cold climate.

The waitress came with their bill and while Damon paid Elena headed into the washroom to freshen up. She washed her face brushed her hair and teeth. When she exited the restroom Damon was leaning against the wall opposite the door and caused Elena to jump.

They walked side by side out to the car without a word spoken between them, Damon opened her door and she hopped in with a small smile of thanks. When he plopped into the seat beside her he handed her a folded paper, she opened it to see a map of Maryland. "You navigate, tell me where were heading and so be it we will go."

Soon they were heading onto the road again. Elena decided she was tired of the highway so she ventured then down an old narrow two-way street. It was the most beautiful street she had ever seen, their were large oak, maple and pine trees that were all so tall they made a canopy over the road. She put her window down and leaned into the spring breeze.

"you know the point of you having the map is to tell me where to go, this road is ending, where too now?"

Elena looked back down at her map and told him to "make a right and then a quick left."

He did as she said and soon they were on an even narrower road Damon swore it was a driveway. The further along the street they went he realized they were right into a forest. "Make a right up the road after the bend."

When he did he was sure they were pulling into a driveway now. there was no way that this could be a road it was way too bumpy and narrow. Why was he not surprised when a large log cabin came into view. "Elena, sweetheart do you even know how to read a map?"

she scowled at him, unbuckled her seat belt and hopped out of the car. "come on Damon, were staying here tonight." She opened the trunk and pulled out her bag then began to march up to the house. She quickly found a spare key inside a fake rock and unlocked the door. Stepping into the house she turned to open it wider for Damon to get in with the rest of the bags. He was stopped at the threshold and was unable to enter. No surprise there.

"'Lena I think you forgot about something."

She smirked at him "Did I Damon? I must have forgotten to tell you John left me his lake house."

He growled at her and pushed against the entrance. "Let me in Elena or so help me..."

"what Damon, what are you going to do?"

"well for one thing _when _I get into this house, I am going to tickle you to you can't breath, then I'm going to throw you into the middle of the lake for tricking me. I thought we were breaking and entering."

She laughed at him and after running up to the second floor of the large house yelled to him, "you can come into my lake house Damon." then ran as fast as she could to the third level master bedroom.

Damon caught her by the time she had reached the top step and the next thing she knew she was on top of the bed being tickled mercilessly. She was clawing at Damon to get him off of her, but it was useless he had her pinned and wasn't letting up.

Damon loved the sound of her laugh, it was the most angelic sound he had ever heard and as she lay beneath him squirming to be free he was relishing in the sounds she made.

After several minutes of tickling he sat up, straddling her as she attempted to catch her breath. Just as she thought that he was done he repeated his earlier action and had her nearly peeing herself from laughter.

Later after their tickle session was over and they lay in bed Elena felt completely safe and content. "can we stay here for a few days? I haven't been to this lake house since I was a little kid."

Damon thought about that for several minutes then nodded at her and scooped her up over his shoulder carrying her down the stairs. She protested the whole way kicking and smacking him on the back. "Mmm, Nice view." he said as he exited the house into the backyard. Elena wasn't lost on the double meaning behind his words. But she didn't have much time to protest as he walked them down the dock and with his vampire strength through her at least 30 feet into the water. He stripped down to his shorts and dove in after her.

Elena surfaced in the middle of the lake cursing Damon Salvatore, as she spun around to look back at the dock she noticed he was gone. She spun all around looking for him, and calling his name. Then she felt something brush against her foot, looking into the water she couldn't see anything and assumed it was a fish or seaweed, then it happened again, and she started swimming back towards the shore. She got about 5 to 10 feet before she felt him grab her around the ankle and pull her back to him. She laughed as she propelled back to where she started, expecting to see Damon there when she stopped moving but he was under the water somewhere again.

Two can play at this game. She took a large breath and went under the water herself, opening her eyes she didn't see him anywhere. Slowly she began to move towards the shoreline. She was half way there when she saw him. He moved like a missile through the water, he was mesmerizing. She surfaced just as he was about to reach her and he came up right in front of her. Their faces were inches apart as they tread water. She was staring at him and he was chuckling. The smile on his face looked like he was a six-year-old who just got caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

Elena Splashed him several times for scaring her and they stayed in the water fighting, swimming and laughing for the rest of the afternoon. As the sun began to set they headed back into the house, and Damon rushed around getting her towels and dry clothes. They both got changed and set to making dinner. It was simple hotdogs and chips. Thanking herself for using them as an ice pack for Damon's blood supply. They had searched through the cupboards and found some marshmallows, cereal, graham crackers and hot chocolate mix, and thankfully Damon thought booze.

"If were going to stay here for a bit I will have to go into town tomorrow to get us some supplies. If you need anything specific make me a list and I'll do my best to find it for you."

She thanked him and headed over to start a fire while he made himself a glass of scotch, thanking John for his good taste in alcohol.

Elena was seated on the floor by the fire with a flannel blanket wrapped around her as he entered the room. He sat on the floor beside her and as their shoulders brushed she felt a million tiny sparks go through her entire being. She knew he felt it too as she watched the tiny hairs on his arms stick up at the contact.

They sat in silence for several minutes watching the fire crackle and dance. she turned to look into his impossibly blue eyes and said "Thank you Damon." She knew she didn't have to elaborate, she knew he would understand the meaning behind her words that she meant thanks for all that he has done for her, from saving her to allowing her to feel her age again and be a carefree teenager even if for just a little while. She laid her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling the most comforted, warm, safe, and at home she had ever felt.

Damon Listened as her heart beat evened out and her breathing slowed. He picked her up bridal style and headed up to the master bedroom gently placing her onto the bed and covering her up. He pulled away and went to leave but she grabbed his arm,"Stay."

He climbed over her and got under the covers, she turned over and tucked her head into the crook of his neck sighing contentedly and fell back into the best night of sleep she has had in over two years.

* * *

**So that's Chapter 5 what did you guys think? **  
**As I said at the beginning of this story its going to be mainly a Delena story and for those of you angry at how Elena is acting content with Damon I think it's a completely natural reaction seeing as how his brother nearly killed her and Damon has saved her life countless times as we all know. :) just bear with me on this I promise they will be heading onto the road again soon. **

**REVIEWS ARE LOVE PEOPLE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, IT REALLY MOTIVATES ME TO WRITE MORE! **


	6. Chapter 6

** OK everyone Here is chapter 6 I had a difficult time writing this one so sorry if it is a bit all over the place, it's mostly a filler until the next chapter but I wanted to say that this LAKE HOUSE that they are at is not the one that you see Elena and Stefan having a retreat at, this isn't her parents house it is her uncle/father John Gilbert's house. Just creating as I go... You know like writers do.**

**Anyways without boring you all any further...**

* * *

_**CHAPTER 6**_

The next day Elena awoke alone in the master bedroom, she had the solid night of sleep she could ever remember. As she sat up she noticed a rose sitting on the pillow with a note beneath it.

_Elena, _

_Good morning angel, I did attempt to wake you but you sleep like a rock. I have headed into town to get us some supplies. There is coffee and bagels already in the kitchen for you. _

_See you soon and please stay inside until I return. _

_Damon _

She smelled the freshly picked rose and allowed the soft petals to tickle her nose as she inhaled. Smiling happily at the note he left her she headed downstairs to get her coffee. She sliced a bagel and put it into the toaster then poured a mug full of coffee and added her two sugar to her cup. Finally able to sit down she enjoyed her breakfast and then adventured through the old cabin looking at all the rooms she hadn't seen since she was little.

She ventured through all the rooms on the main level looking through the stacks of old VCR recorded movies, picking out some of her favorite childhood movies The Lion King, Finding Nemo, Camelot and Jeremy's favorite The Mighty Morphing Power Rangers she headed back out into the living room and stacked the movies onto the coffee table before re-adventuring through the house into the upper level bedrooms.

She came to the end of the long upper hallway to what used to be her bedroom here. Slowly she entered the room; it was exactly as it was when she was last here right down to the Disney Princess sheet set. She remembered the loose floor board under the bottom right leg of the bed and pushed the bed around to get under it.

She was expecting to find the lunch box she had hidden down there with her favorite Barbie that Jeremy had tried to burn with a magnifying glass when they were 7, a couple of drawings, and silly notes she wrote, instead she found a large metal toolbox she had to pry a second floor board to lift it out. It had a lock over it; she walked downstairs with the box in her hands and headed into the garage to get a crowbar or pliers.

When she returned she managed to break the lock and tossed it aside. She sat on the sofa and opened up the lid, inside were several wooden stakes, some vervain and wolf's bane grenades and needles, some rope, a magic ring, and a note addressed to her:

_Elena, _

_If you are reading this than that means that I am dead. I am sorry I left you so soon after you knew the truth. I am leaving you these items to protect you. This house is now in your name, you are my legacy. You will find that the house is full of hidden secrets that will protect you from the supernatural. The linen closet on the upper floor has a fake wall behind it that has Jonathan Gilbert Senior's journals, as well as several weapons to protect you let them guide you. _

_There is a protection spell on the house from a very powerful Witch Elena, no supernatural being will be allowed to enter this house, even with invitation unless your heart and soul truly trust the person and you want them here. You are forever bound to this house, even in your death it will belong to you or your bloodline. So if you choose the life of vampirism you can still call this house your safe haven. Take care of it, and take care of yourself, live a full life that is all your mother and I ever wanted for you. I will love you always I will always look over you, and I'm sorry I wasn't their more for you throughout your life. _

_John Gilbert _

Tears were steadily running down Elena's face, she sat on the floor staring at the sheet of paper in front of her re-reading the letter from her uncle/father John Gilbert. She had already received a letter from John when he had given his life over to allow her to live and it never mentioned anything about the state of this house, only that he left all of his belongings to her. She suddenly felt extremely safe inside this house, nothing could harm her, and she would always be safe here. She relaxed slightly on the floor, and looked through all the items again deciding to put a vervain grenade into her coat pocket, just in case, and loaded up her suit case with the rest of the ammo John had put inside the toolbox.

She was just walking down the steps after putting the box back under her floorboard securely when the front doorbell rang. She hesitated, it could be Damon, but she was sure he had taken the keys with him this morning since they were missing from the island in the kitchen. She silently crept back up to the landing between the first and second floors that overlooked the entrance and driveway. There was a man in a black suit standing on the porch, he had sandy colored hair and was driving a very expensive Audi. She slowly continued her way up the steps when she heard the front door slam open. Her eyes widened and she ran up the second set of stairs into the master room and locked the doors. She pushed furniture in front of the door piling it high until all the furniture in the room was in front of the door. She sat onto the bed and listened with all the power she could manage to hear what was happening in the house. Silence was all that echoed back at her.

* * *

**So there you have it chapter 6 is complete... I know I'm evil for leaving a cliffhanger. (evil laugh) **

**REVIEWS ARE LOVE**

**So I already have the next chapter written and I will post chapter 7 when I have at least 10 reviews for this chapter or 2 days, which ever comes first... I have depraved you all for too long with this story I AM SORRY life just kind of took over. Don't worry though I promise I am back at full force. I will try to post a lot more often.**

**WHEN YOU GUYS REVIEW TELL ME YOUR CHOICE FOR THE NEXT TRAVEL CHAPTER, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE DELENA TO HEAD NEXT?**

**1. New York**

**2. Vegas**

**3. Toronto **

**4. Europe **


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